Euro 2025: Lionesses do talking on pitch with statement victory as Sarina Wiegman's tinkering pays off

Yahoo

5 days ago

Georgia Stanway had vowed England would do their talking on the pitch against the Netherlands - and they certainly did just that.
After their defeat to France, the Lionesses' campaign to retain their European crown roared back into life with a statement performance.
Lauren James struck twice, with Ella Toone and Stanway also getting on the scoresheet to secure a 4-0 win that puts England on the cusp of the knockout stages.
Sarina Wiegman's side face Wales in their final Group D game on Saturday and, if France do them a favour against the Dutch, a draw should be enough to book a spot in the quarter-finals.
Before this evening, England were staring down the barrel after that opening defeat to Les Bleues, but this was a reminder of why they have never lost back-to-back games during Wiegman's reign.
All of Wiegman's big calls paid off, including those made long before a ball was kicked in Switzerland.
The decision in May to make Hannah Hampton No1 over Mary Earps had caused a stir - and the latter's retirement - but England's opening goal against the Dutch explained some of the reasons behind it.
Hampton started the move with a stunning pass from deep that set Alessia Russo in behind the Dutch defence. The biggest compliment you could pay Hampton? The pass was so good you almost assumed Keira Walsh must have played it.
Russo then found James to score, as another of Wiegman's calls came off. The Chelsea winger hadn't kicked a ball since April, but was still named in the squad for the Euros.
After struggling as a No10, Wiegman moved James out wide and she thrived in that space against the Netherlands.
James' first goal was a thing of beauty, the 23-year-old cutting in from the right flank before arrowing the ball into the top corner with her left foot.
The goal came midway through the first half and it was no more than the Lionesses deserved.
Wiegman's decision to move Jess Carter to the heart of defence and Alex Greenwood to left-back gave England a stable base.
They looked far more solid and in the first half, they had over 60 per cent possession. The Dutch had one shot on goal, however it was off target.
Going forward, England looked a real threat. Russo went close with two headers, while Lauren Hemp's own effort went just over the bar.
When the second goal did come, fittingly, it was Stanway who provided it. The Bayern Munich midfielder said she was 'fed up with talking' on Monday ahead of this game, and the way she lashed the ball into the bottom corner just before half time suggested as much.
The second half followed the pattern of the first. The Dutch could not stop England's domination and it felt a question of when, not if, the next Lionesses' goal would come.
Russo seemed determined to score it and she was unfortunate to have a header ruled out, with Leah Williamson offside in the build-up.
There was no goal for the Arsenal striker, but there was a hat-trick of assists as Wiegman was, again, justified in one of her big calls.
Russo's close friend Ella Toone had been brought into the XI for her major-tournament debut after being left out of the team for the opening game against France. The midfielder vindicated her selection against the Dutch, scoring England's fourth after Russo found her in the box.
Before that, James had got her second. It lacked the finesse of her first, but was opportunistic as she profited on some lacklustre defending.
Hampton started the move with another brilliant long pass and, after Toone's shot was blocked, James slotted the rebound. The Chelsea forward was taken off less than 10 minutes later, by which point this game was dead.
England's Euro 2025 campaign, however, is alive.